Jeremy Fisher Show Feels Like Valentine's

The Mod Club

Toronto, ON

on Feb 7 2009

Sheena Lyonnais (CHARTattack)

02/09/2009 12:43pm

The Mod Club usually boasts a quaint ambiance, but when the venue was transformed into an intimate, seated singer/songwriter evening for Jeremy Fisher, it made for the kind of romance that felt like Valentine's Day had come a week early.

Fisher's sold-out performance began with Vancouver cutie Hannah Georgas. Equipped with only her acoustic guitar, sweet songs and witty banter, she was the perfect opener. Georgas blasted through songs from her recently released debut EP, The Beat Stuff, and lit the room with her smart folk songs and almost-British voice. Fisher joined her on harmonica for her last two tracks, but he played incognito while sporting a parka and gloves.

The mood during Georgas' set was outright classy. I even swapped my usual gin for a glass of white wine. But the crowd was a little unusual. It ranged in ages from 20 to 60 and was incredibly, almost awkwardly, quiet. People seemed afraid to cheer and sing along. Instead, they'd clap quietly as if they were at a play.

Fisher began his set by lighting red candles. The gesture seemed to loosen the mood, but the crowd still seemed deep in watch and listen mode despite Fisher being in fine comic form all night. Since it was a solo performance, Fisher didn't have his band to rely on between songs, so he filled the down time with funny stories about his life and songs.

Fisher opened and ended his set with his bigger hits "Cigarette" and "High School" respectively, but filled the core with a variety of tracks from all of his records, including a new song possibly titled "Black Monday." It's essentially about not worrying so much about the recession and just living your life. It was a really great track that encompassed the traits that make Fisher so appealing — original, catchy lyrics with a perfect balance of folk and pop.

Fisher's encore was spent singing two songs with Georgas and ended with a messy cover of Modern English's "I Melt With You." They both forgot the lyrics, but were so cute about it that I felt like I was watching them fall in love. It summed up the night beautifully. Both performers shone independently as well as together and the atmosphere couldn't have been more perfect for the night.